Detention screen



F. n. E. SMITHYETALI March 18, 1947.

DETENTION SCREEN- Filed March 19 1945 Patented Mar. 18, 1947 Frank R. E. Smith and Leon E. Willett, Detroit, Mich, assignors to Chamberlin Company of America, Michigan Detroit, Mich, a corporation of Application March 19, 1945, Serial No; 583,476

4 Claims. ((31. 160-353) This invention relates to detention screens, such as are used in hospitals, psychiatric institutions and other places to restrain patients from escape, as well as in homes, apartment houses and elsewhere to prevent injury either to the person or to the screen. The invention is an improvement upon the screen described and claimed in a prior Patent No. 2,246,995 granted June 24, 1941, to Ingersoll, Pillsbury and Smith for Safety detention screen, to which reference may be had if desirable or necessary.

I According to the invention of said prior patent, the screen consists of a generally rectangular open frame composed of four hollow members mitered together at the frame corners to form a two part housing, in the chamber of which are mounted yielding supports for a panel of strong wire mesh. In order to mount this screen in a window opening in such manner as to permit it to swing on hinges, for example on a vertical axis along one side edge, it has been necessary to equip the screen with an extra sub-frame, of open rectangular form, capable of being secured rigidly in the permanent window frame, and in which sub-frame the said housin is mounted upon suitable hinges. Such construction has required extra metal for the sub-frame, has been unduly expensive, and also entails some reduction in the net area of the available open space. Furthermore, when it is necessary to gain access to the yieldable supporting means for the screen panel, or other parts enclosed within the chamber of the hollow housing, it has been necessary, heretofore, to dismantle the housing, either wholly or partially, by bodily removing or separating some of its frame parts, and usually also to remove the housing from the sub-frame to enable it to be dismantled.

The present invention has for its object to provide a detention screen which requires no ex- 2 Still another object is to provide an improved screen of the character described provided with simple means for varying or adjusting the ten: sion on the screen panel.

Finally, another object is generally to simplify and improve the screen as a whole by reduction I satisfactory embodiments of the invention,

tra sub-frame and yet permits the screen panel parts, is readily secured by the simple act of opening the screen by movement on its hinge supports, in the same manner as when washing windows.

Fig, 1' is an elevation, partly broken out and in section;

Fig. 2 is a detailjcross Fig. 1;

section on the line 2-2,

Fig. 3 is a similar section on the line 3-3,

Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a'detail view, on a larger scale, illus-- trating the yielding screen panel support and the locking devices; and V Fig. dis a detail section on the line 5-5, Fig. 4.

The screen shown in-the drawings comprises an open rectangular or four-sided frame, each of the four sides of which is in the'form of a hollow housing including outer and inner members H), H preferably made of heavy gauge sheet metal bent or rolled to the appropriate crosssection. The four sides of each member are mitered and weldedtogether at the four corners, so that the finished frame really consists of two open rectangular members lying "side by side and operatively connected, as will appear.

Outer member ill may be calledthe stationary member, because it is rigidly, immovably and more or less permanently anchored in thewindow opening by attachment to the usual window frame, shown conventionally at l2. The side and top portions of this member are of like cross section, including a flat body portion I3, and an inner inclined flange portion l4 having its edge portion l5 bent back into a plane parallel to the body, to provide a smooth finished edge. The outer part of the body is bent at right angles to form. a back flange or wall H5 (which becomes the outer peripheral wall of the screen as a whole, when finished), beyond which the metalis again bent back at right angles to forms. return flange l'l' parallel with the body but spacedtherefrom. In the section for the bottom portion of this membar this last flange, here marked Ila, is not bent back, but forwardly, forming anapron which fits and rides on the window sill and opens the frame for drainage purposes.

The inner member II has a cross section generally like that of the outer member, having a corresponding body portion [8, an inclined flange portion IS, an inner edge portion 20, a transverse back flange or wall 2| and a, return flange 22. but is not so deep. Thus when the inner and outer members are assembled, they form together a more or less symmetrical hollow shell or housing, with a flat transverse outer flange or wall, two parallel spaced and opposed side walls, and opposed converging or inclined inner lips or flanges terminating in rounded inner edges spaced apart to provide a, circumferentially extending narrow opening or slot 23. The outer or back wall 2| of the inner member II divides the space within the shell into inner and outer cavities 24, 25.

The innermember ll may be called the movable member, because it is hinged to the outer member upon a vertical axis at one side of the window opening, and it carries or supports the screen panel 26 for movement thereof to open position. I

The screen panel 26 may be made of any material suitable for the purpose, such as that described in the prior patent referred to, to-wit. a strong, heavy gauge wire mesh with small openings proof against insects. It is supported as follows:

At intervals around its four edges, the wire mesh is folded around a thin metal strip 21, each multiple reinforcement thus produced being clamped between a pair of clamping bars 28 united by a cross bridge 29 providing a loop by which the screen support thus formed may be suspended from or releasably connected to one arm of an elongated leaf spring 30 having one, two or more leaves. This leaf spring is threaded through an open rectangular stirrup 3|, the outer or back wall of which'is threaded to receive an adjusting screw 32 passing through the outer wall 2| of the movable member and there accessible for screw adjustment. Stirrups 3| are provided with lateral tongues 3hr which travel in slots or recesses 33 beneath two plates 34 welded or otherwise rigidly attached to the inner surface of the body wall of the inner member. This isa very simple strong construction, capable of convenient assembly, permittin variation or adjustment of the tension on the screen panel either initially or from time to time during use, and mounts all screen holding parts in the inner cavity 24 of the shell and upon the inner swinging frame member in such position that they are exposed for inspection or repair each time the screen is opened.

As before stated, the two screen members I 0, II are connected by a hinge joint on a vertical axis at one side of the window opening. The hinges employed for the purpose may be of any suitable form. Concealed hinges are desirable but not necessary. For simplicity of illustration and in no sense of limitation the drawings show several ordinary butt hinges 3 5, one plate of each fastened to the back wall 2| of the inner member and the other plate to a block 35a which is welded between the walls of the outer member and lies in the cavity 25.

Along its other vertical edge, means is provided for releasably locking the screen closed. Shown more or less conventionally, this comprises one or more sildable locking bolts 36 operated by cams 31 actuated by rods 38 reciprocated by arms 39 attached to an operator 40 capable of actuation by a suitable key (not shown) inserted into an opening therein. All of this locking mechanism is carried by the movable screen member and is housed within cavity 24, extending alongside of, but not interfering with, the various parts of the screen panel supporting and adjusting mechanism.

Preferably the screen frame is provided with suitable stop means for preventing a locked frame from being opened, without authority, by force applied to bend inwardly and distort the bolt carrying side of the screen frame in a manner to withdraw the bolts from the locking recesses. In the arrangement shown we secure to the stationary screen member Ill, adjacent each of the locking bolts 36, a disc-like cam 45 pivotably mounted, eccentrically, upon a screw 46 passing through said cam into the frame, capable of adjustment about said screw to bring its periphery close to the edge of the flange 22 of the swinging member of the frame, as shown in Figs. 2 and i. The cam may be locked in this position by tightening a set, screw 41 threaded into it, the inner end. of which screw engages the inner surface of the stationary frame member. Other arrangements are suitable for the purpose. With such cams distributed along the length of the frame and located preferably close to the looking bolts, any attempt to bend inwardly, by force, the swinging edge of the screen member II is positively resisted, making it impossible to withdraw the protruding ends of the locking bolts 36 from behind the stops with which they enage.

Fig. 2 illustrates one simple arrangement for securing the screen in a window opening slightly larger than a given stock size screen. Here a channel form spacer 42 is inserted between the screen frame and the window frame 12. A series of adjustable stop screws 43 threaded into the transverse wall it of the outer member adjust the spacer to the required position to take up all extra space, while a series of securing screws 44 extend from said wall 16 through openings in channel 42 and are threaded into the window frame to secure the parts in place. Other arrangements are suitable for the purpose.

The screen described is of relatively simple form with reduced weight and cost of manufacture. It dispenses with a separate sub-frame embodying within itself all factors necessary for convenient mounting in the window opening. At the same time all parts are conveniently accessible for inspection, repair or adjustment and the screen may be opened at any time to gain access to the glass Window panels for washing or other purposes. When the screen is open all operating and adjusting parts are carried by the movable or adjustable member, but without disturbance y pening the screen.

other advantages of the invention will occur to those skilled in the art.

What we claim is:

1. A screen of the character described, comprising a frame consisting of inner and outer units each of open rectangular form and including top, bottom and side members, hinge means mounted on and pivotally connecting said units on an axis extending lengthwise of one of said members, said units being spaced apart to provide a cavity between them, a screen panel, and means mounted upon said inner unit and enclosed Within said cavity for supporting the edges of said panel, the outer unit being securable in '5 a window openingand the inner unit carrying the screen panel being swingable on the hinge axis to open position to expose the panel support.

2. A screen of the character described, comprising a frame consisting of inner and outer units each of open rectangular form and including top, bottom and side members, hinge means mounted on and pivotally connecting said units on on axis extending lengthwise of one of said members, said units being spaced apart to provide a cavity between them, a screen panel, a series of springs spaced at intervals around the periphery of said panel and connected thereto, a support for each spring mounted upon the inner surface of the inner unit, said springs and supports being enclosed within said cavity, and means for individually adjusting each of said supports outwardly in the plane of the screen panel for varying the tension thereon, the outer unit being securable in a window opening, and the inner unit carrying the screen panel being swingable on the hinge axis to open position to expose the panel support.

3. A screen of the characterdescribed, comprising a frame consisting of generally similar inner and outer units each of open rectangular form and including top, bottom and side members, the members of each unit having a flat body portion provided interiorly with an inwardly inclined portion and exteriorly with a transverse flange, said units being mounted in opposed relation with the exterior flanges of each extending toward the body portion of the other so that together the two units enclose a cavity, a screen panel, yielding means mounted upon the inner unit and enclosed within said cavity for supporting the screen panel under tension one unit being securable in a window opening, and hinge connections between the two units enabling the other unit to be swung upon the hinge axis to open position.

4. A screen of the character described, comprising an open rectangular frame having top, bottom and side members made of sheet metal bent to hollow tubular form to enclose a cavity extending peripherally around the frame opening, said frame consisting of two generally similar units, lying in opposed relation with said cavity closed exteriorly and opening interiorly through a narrow slot extending; around said opening, a screen panel the edge portions of which extend through said slot into said cavity, means within said cavity for supporting the panel edges upon one of said units, one of said units being securable in a Window opening and hinge connections between said units, whereby the other unit may be swung about :the hinge axis to a position widely spaced from the first unit to fully expose the panel supporting means lying in said cavity, while the frame is secured in the window opening.

FRANK R. E. SMITH. LEON E. WILLETT.

REFERENCE S CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 801,893 Mortenson Oct. 17, 1905 1,767,116 Brandes June 24, 1930 1,997,445 Baumgardner Apr. 9, 1935 2,246,995 Ingersoll, Pillsbury 8: June 24, 1941 Smith. 

